Fairleader



K. BERGER May 19, 1931.

FAIRLBADER Filed July 23, 1929 I/l/llI/I/Il/ l6 INVENTOR Ie BezgerATTORNEY Patented May 19, 1931 PATENT OFFICE KNUTE BERGER, OF SEATTLE,WASHINGTON.

FAIRLEADER Application filed July 23, 1929. Serial No. 380,332.

My invention relates to improvements in fairleaders of the type adaptedto be used as a guide for cables and the object of my invention is toprovide a fairleader by which a cable may be guided over rollers with aminimum amount of wear and friction, said fairleader being selfadjusting to the direction of pull of the cable.

Another object is to provide a fairleader which is especially adaptedfor use in connection with a logging apparatus in which cables are woundon drums, but which may be used on various other forms of hauling andhoisting machinery, said fairleader serving to guide the cables so thatit will wind onto and oil of the drums properly regardless of thedirection of the line of pull of the cable.

Other objects are to provide a fairleader of strong and ruggedconstruction which is not expensive to manufacture, which is highlyeflicient in operation and which reduces wear and friction on the cableto aminimum.

A more specific object is to provide a fairleader having a sheave frameor block for rotatably supporting the sheaves over which the cablepasses, said sheave frame having a relatively large shank which isswiveled for rotation in a supporting frame, said shank having a tubularpassageway through which the cable passes, and said sheaves beingpositioned so as to support the cable slightly ofi' center relative tosaid shank whereby the sheave frame will be self adjusting relative tothe pull of the cable.

Other and more specific objects will be a parent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawmgs.

In the drawings Figural is a view partly in side elevation and partly invertical section of a fairleader constructed in accordance with myinvention."

Figure 2 is a cross section substantially on 45 broken line 2-2 of Fig.1 showing parts n elevation.

Fig. 3 is a detail being a view in front elevation of the sheave frame;and, V

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the method of using thisfairleader.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference numeralsdesignate like parts, 6 designates a main frame of cast metal, having abase 7 adapted to be secured to any suitable support and having a top 8which is also adapted to be secured to a support. The frame 6 isprovided with a transverse, tubular bearing support comprising a centralportion 10 of lesser diameter and two bearing receptacles 11 at the endswhich are of larger diameter for the reception of combined roller andthrust bearings 12.

The sheave frame comprises two spaced apart side members 13 and 14 whichare integral with a cylindrical tubular shank 15. The shank 15 extendsthrough the bearing support in the frame 6 and is rotatable within thebearings 12. An adjustable locking nut 16 is screwed onto the rear endof the shank 15 and locked thereon by means of a transverse bolt 17. Aflange 18 is provided at the front end of the shank 15. A larger sheave20 is rotatably mounted between the two sides, 13 and 14, of the sheaveframe by means of a roller bearing 21 which is supported on a bearingpin 22. Bushings 23 are provided where the bearing pin 22 passes throughthe sides of the sheave frame and nuts 24 are provided on the ends ofsaid bearing pin. The innermost peripheral portion of the sheave 20 isfar enough from the central axis of the shank 15 so that a cable 25which is drawn over said sheave will be slightly off center as respectsthe axis of the shank 15 thus causing the sheave frame to turn easily inresponse to a change in the direction of pull of the cable.

A smaller guide sheave 26 is mounted between the side members 13 and 14,on a transverse bearing pin 27. This guide sheave 26 is for the purposeof holding the cable 25 on the larger sheave 20 and it is not intendedfor the cable to draw over the smaller guide sheave. The bearing pin 27for the smaller sheave has keys 28 in its ends thus making it readilyremovable.

For the purpose of counterbalancing the weight of the larger sheave 20in the sheave frame the said sheave frame is provided, substantiallyopposite the sheave 20, with receptacles which are filled with babbittas indicated at 30. The babbitt, in a molten state, may be poured inthrough holes 31 and any excess babbitt may be removed by drilling, thusmaking it possible to counterbalance the weight accurately. Thisovercomes any. tendency of the larger sheave 20-=to hang down, due togravity, when the device is mounted in a horizontal position, and leavesthe fairleader free to adjust itself automatically to the pull of thecable.

In Fig. 4 I show diagrammatically one method of installing and usin myfairleader. In this illustration the airleader is secured on the forwardend of a logging engine 32 which has drums 33 on which the cable 25 maybe wound. The cable passes from the drums forwardly through the tubularshank of the fairleader and out between the larger sheave 20 and smallerguide sheave 26. After passing through the fairleader the cable mayextend outwardly at an angle but it will always draw over the sheave 20and if the angle of the cable is changed the fair leader willautomatically adjust itself to the new position, the shank 1 5 turningreadily in the bearings 12. The position of the fairleader relative tothe drum or drums does not chan e and the cable always takes onto. andoff 0% said drums in the same manner. The foregoing description andaccompanying drawings clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of myinvention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merelyillustrative and that such changes may be made as are fairly within thescope and spirit of the following claims. I

I claim I 1. A fairleader comprisin a main frame, a sheave frame havinga shan rotatably supported in said main frame, said shank being tubularto permit the passa e of a cable therethrough, a sheave in said s eave'frame for supportin the cable in a position at one side of the axis ofsaid shank, and counterbalanoing means at the oppositeside of such axis,whereby the sheave will be held in proper guiding position at all timesregardless of the direction of the lineof pull of the cable.

2. A fairleader comprising in combinatlon a supporting frame, a tubularshank rotatably supported therein, a sheave frame connected with one endof said shank, and ,two sheaves journaled therein, one of said sheavesbeing mounted in-the said sheave frameln the lower end portion thereofand the other end portion being weighted to counterbalance said sheaveframe when such frame and its tubular shank are turned to different 0sitions to permitthe required guiding o a cable that passes through saidshankand is in engagement with said sheaves.

3.- A, fairleader comprising combination a supporting frame, a sheaveframe having a shank rotatably supported in said main frame, said shankbeing tubular to permit the passage of a cable therethrough, a sheaverotatably mounted insaid sheave frame and over which said cable passes,the peripheral portion of said sheave with which said cable signature.

' KNUTE BERGER.

